Day 2
Read: Genesis 22
Today we follow the story of Abraham who is no stranger to longing for God’s provision. Abraham waited years for God to provide him a son, and even manipulated the situation to vainly obtain that promise. Eventually, God provided him a son, but whenever this boy, Isaac, grew into a young man, God asked Abraham to sacrifice him as a burnt offering. I imagine Abraham was confused, angry, and questioning God’s love for him.
However, Abraham obeyed God’s command, ultimately determining that God Himself is a better possession than anything we could have on this Earth. He moved onward up the mountain, preparing to sacrifice his son. All the while, reassuring Isaac, “God will provide for himself the lamb…”
To Abraham’s surprise and relief, God provided a ram and Isaac was spared. The best testament of God’s love in this passage, is not that God provided Isaac to Abraham or that he spared his life– but instead, that He promised to send Jesus as the sacrificial lamb. Verse 18 says “and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” Jesus would be this blessing, intended for all nations, that would impact generations. Instead of offering sacrifices and never quite measuring up to the standards, God provided a perfect sacrifice that would pay the debt for all of our sins. We would have a way to be reconciled to God for eternity.
Smile in a Cup: God shows His love to us by fulfilling the promise to send Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice.
To Journal or Comment and Respond:
*Abraham obeyed God to sacrifice Isaac, even though he waited so eagerly for his arrival. Do you have something you would find difficult to “give up” to God?
*How does the hope of Jesus help you in the midst of losing earthly possessions?
Smile in a Cup 